About Me

I’m David Fleet, a British photographer and writer based in Scotland.

You can view every Fujifilm camera and lens I’ve used over the years in my Fujifilm Gear Hub.

If this article helped you, you can support my work here: Buy Me a Coffee.

Field Notes: Dumaguete – June 2025 (X100VI vs GR III)

Dates: Monday 16th to Wednesday 18th June
Location: Dumaguete, Philippines
Conditions: Harsh sun, golden hour, low light, pre-dawn
Cameras: Fujifilm X100VI and Ricoh GR III
Use Cases: Street photography, travel shooting, daily carry evaluation

🗓 Monday 16th June – First Impressions

Shooting started casually at the port in Dumaguete, with late-day light and a few frames in harsh midday sun. Later, I walked the boulevard in low light conditions.

The Ricoh GR III feels significantly smaller — not just technically, but in actual use. It’s the one I instinctively grabbed when stepping out of the car while waiting for the ferry.
It’s a genuine everyday carry. The X100VI is also light, but feels more like a deliberate photography tool.
The GR III’s lack of viewfinder makes it harder to compose in harsh sun. The screen isn’t bright enough.
In poor light, I preferred the Fuji’s colour rendering. Skin tones and ambient tones felt richer.
Fuji’s autofocus was noticeably faster, and moving the focus point was quicker too.
I didn’t really connect with the boulevard this evening, but my daughter enjoyed photographing the dogs — which was honestly the highlight.

Plan for tomorrow: Stick to one camera at a time to avoid distraction.

🗓 Tuesday 17th June – Autofocus & Handling Tests

The GR III feels slightly slower to power on due to its lens extension, but both are relatively fast.
Fuji’s autofocus is clearly faster. I still need to test face detection more extensively.
In low light, neither camera nailed candid moments — I switched to:
- Manual Focus on the Fuji
- Snap Focus on the Ricoh
Snap Focus is quicker than MF on the Fuji but takes practice. GR III really struggles with movement, but Snap Focus helps if you learn it.
Colour rendering differs:
- Ricoh skews green
- Fuji skews magenta
Image quality is comparable overall, but Fuji performs better in low light from what I’ve seen so far.
The viewfinder on the Fuji is a big help for composition — personal preference, but noticeable.
I’m more comfortable with Fuji’s menus, but Ricoh’s are logical and don’t slow me down.
28mm vs 35mm: In a few cases, 35mm felt slightly tight. Both focal lengths work for street.

🗓 Wednesday 18th June – Ergonomics, Battery & ISO

Mainly shot with the Fuji this morning.
X100VI’s LCD fogged up briefly from condensation (room air-con). Cleared quickly, but worth noting.
The GR III badly needs a tilt screen. Compositional flexibility is limited, especially in harsh light.
Battery life comparison:
- GR III: Dead after ~2 hours
- X100VI: Still had 3/4 battery under same use
With the Fuji, I can make finer compositional decisions — I think the viewfinder helps me lock in.
Saw minor lens flare on the Fuji when shooting into the sun — likely due to the UV filter (needed for weather sealing).
Changing settings is faster on the Fuji. Dials, Q menu, and overall layout make a difference.
I can handhold the Fuji at much slower shutter speeds:
- Fuji: 1/2 sec
- Ricoh: 1/15 sec
High ISO performance is better on the Fuji — ISO 3200+ is visibly cleaner.